Such a raw amd impressive/unpredictable record. Still, i have to say that this is definitely one of the most wrathful records of the 70s, John Lydon delivers hits such as God Save The Queen, which pave the true beauty of rock from the 20th century. Speaking another way, producing an anti-monarchy album in UK and yet debuting at the top is not for everyone, and i love how they write lyrics like these instead of the generic and delusional love songs from that same period of time. By the way, the guitar riff from the majority of these songs are incredibly iconic, along with the bass riffs and such that make up every fragment of this punk album.
I don't love this album, but i don't hate this album either. Honestly, i think this is one of those albums that only exists, and it is pretty small compared to "the holy trinity" of Radiohead albums (OK Computer, Kid A and In Rainbows). Even when this album hits the spot, it awkwardly misses right after. Ironic, 'cause i use to consider this one of my favourites by them, despite certain duds of pure beeps and boops (looking at you, "We Suck Young Blood," "Sit Down, Stand Up," "Backdrifts" and the crown of shit, "The Gloaming")
But what truly redeems this album are the singles. Oh my God, "There There" and "2+2=5" are some of the best songs in the Radiohead catalog. Also, the experimental rap of "A Wolf At The Door" deserves your love as well, and "Where I End And You Begin" is a peak example of techno + guitar-driven music.
From a political view, we could argue that this collection of songs directly or indirectly conveys a "fuck Bush" kind of thing, considering the title and context. Yet some of the lyrics are lavishly idiotic and repetitive, particularly from Thom, someone i regard as one of the best songwriters of his generation...
Amy, with her beautiful blues voice and jazz influence, tries to emulate the antiquated groups of the same genre from the 50s and coats with shameful and despicable lyrics, depicting her more as a whore than an independent woman. Despite her efforts, she objectifies the roles within a relationship, which makes me feel very uncomfortable due to such a toxic and classic view of a couple.
I wanted to comment that every blues rock project by Jack White is so appealing to my ears, and Blunderbuss is no different. I could see this being classified as one of his best works, along with Elephant or White Blood Cells, and i completely understand why. Altogether, this could easily be mistaken for an incel album, and i understand that too, because it is so dramatic at times that a superficial interpretation could change opinions about him and lead his listeners into believing something that he isn't. Despite all of that, i could say the first half feels pretentious, and somehow, this pretentiousness works well in some tracks, but this is weared thin later on as he decides to show some piano chords and nonsense lyrics that doesn't live up to what the earlier tracks established. This left me sad because Jack White was experiencing shifts with other musicians in the studio at the time, which gave him more freedom than he ever had with TWS. So, what can i say about the second half?
This is truly an amazing and enchanting record, often overlooked beneath the shadow of other prog classics like Close to the Edge or The Dark Side of the Moon, which came two years later. While it may not be among the most essential or celebrated albums of this period or genre, it deserves a listen for its incredible variety of arrangements. The album intelligently blends folk with hard rock, adds its own structural complexity, and features the glorious flute playing of Ian Anderson. However, as Robert Christgau once noted, the themes of religion and culture explored here can feel pretentious and underdeveloped.
Despite my disregard to albums that focus too much on sex, i feel like this could be an exception. Kim O's vocals remind me of PJ Harvey somehow; it is sexy and beautiful. By the way, she's an amazing singer and an awful writer. The raw, blues-esque energy makes me think of Yeah Yeah Yeahs as a White Stripes' spin-off, where instead of a PJ Harvey, we have a female Jack White.
Fever to Tell, along with beautiful lyrics provided by Kim, also features a emotionless yet wrathful instrumental, which range from melodic riffs to tremolo noise and basic drumbeats. Not too bad for a garage act. Curiously enough, also a bold move, is that it has no bass. While it feels like a miss in the first minutes of pure punk noise, it doesn't take away from the playful tone and energy of the tracks, despite my concerns. I think it redeems itself later when the album transitions into the emotional ballad "Maps", a pretty solid track, with slowed drums and melodic tone, using visceral elements that carry through to the final tracks of the album.
I wonder why the creator of the book placed a cover album in their list. Her voice is cool, but, unfortunately, this is just antiquated material. Generic.
